(Yours Series # 4) Zealously Yours (COMPLETED)

Final Chapter

Thank you for reading YS4. See you in the next installment of Yours Series! x

Final Chapter

"Uwi ka na?"

Tumango ako habang inilalagay sa loob ng bag ko iyong mga gamit ko. Normally, I didn't mind staying here past work hours. I genuinely like what I do for a living. Looking back, I never would have thought that I'd reach this point... yet here I was.

Glad I didn't give up—otherwise, I would've missed all of this.

I was one of the lucky ones.

"Yung deliverables, ha."

Tumango ako. "Patapos na," sagot ko.

Pagkatapos ng contract ko kay Mrs. dela Riva, she offered me kung gusto ko ba na doon pa rin magtrabaho—but with better benefits, instead. I almost said yes, but I had an interview lined-up that same week. Muntik ko ng hindi puntahan. But something inside me was telling me that I should go to that interview... and I was glad that I did.

Now, it's been more than a year since I started working here. I was a full-time artist in a publishing company. I work with children's books. It was fun. It was exciting. But still, I was able to live my life. Hindi ko ineexpect na dito ako babagsak—sa pagddrawing ng mga children's book.

Nagpaalam ako sa mga kasama ko. They're nice people. There was no toxic work politics because otherwise, hindi ako tatagal dito. I would not sacrifice my mental health for any job. For me, it's simply not worth it.

Paglabas ko ay dumiretso na ako sa parking. Naka-kuha ako ng secondhand na sasakyan a few years back. Nung una ay ayoko dahil hindi naman ako sigurado kung kaya kong bayaran, but Kuya offered na kung may buwan na hindi ako sigurado kung kaya kong bayaran, he would pay on my behalf and I could just pay him kapag kaya ko na. So far, hindi pa naman ako nakaka-miss ng bayad.

Inilagay ko sa likuran iyong ibang gamit ko tapos ay nagdrive na ako papunta sa venue kung nasaan iyong surprise party para kay Chase.

"Good eve," bati ko kay Achi nang makita ko siya.

She gave me a small nod. She's generally quiet, pero kapag kinausap mo naman siya ay marami siyang sasabihin. It took me quite a while to figure that out dahil nung una ay hindi ko siya kinakausap dahil mukhang wala siya sa mood lagi.

"Nagtext na sa 'yo?" Achi asked.

Umiling ako. "Pero sinabi niya kagabi na medyo late siyang matatapos," I replied, relaying what Chase told me last night bago siya umuwi sa kanila. Nasa bahay pa rin nila naka-tira si Chase. He told me although he wanted to move out on his own, he cannot, in good conscience, leave his dad alone in that big house. I completely understood, although sometimes, he would sleepover at my apartment. Alam naman ng tatay niya 'yon. He's actually really nice to me. He went to the exhibit three times—akala ko pinilit ni Chase, pero hindi pala. He just went there to support me, he said. That was nice of him.

Mukhang nakaayos na lahat. We were in a small function room of a restaurant. Gusto kasi nila handa na lahat. I understood. Lahat kasi sila ay busy—isang CEO ng ilang kumpanya, dalawang abogado, at isang doctor. Of course they didn't have time to cook or prepare for a party. But still, they wanted to celebrate Chase's achievement.

I wanted to take a short nap, but I couldn't. Medyo maingay dahil may mga bata, but it's fine. Chase adores his nieces and nephews. This celebration wouldn't be complete without these little humans.

I was quietly minding my own business nang maupo si Achi sa tabi ko. Tumingin ako sa kanya at naghintay sa susunod na sasabihin niya.

"Thank you," biglang sabi niya.